#endings week

[lonestar-s5countdown]

This week, in either terrible or perfect timing, we’re focusing on Endings. This show does season finales particularly well, with those episodes containing some truly excellent moments. As we've recently had confirmed, we have a more significant ending coming up for us at the end of season 5. However, while we can reflect on that a bit, we'll try not to dwell on it too much because we have a whole season to experience first! And it's so soon! JUST TWO WEEKS TO GO!

We’ll have a tag game, polls, fic recs and character metas for you later this week, and on Wednesday at 5 pm PST/8 pm EST, there will be a group watch of 1x10–Austin, We Have a Problem and 3x18–A Bright and Cloudless Morning.

Join us for Endings-related fun all week!

[literateowl]

Season 5 countdown tag game

For @lonestar-s5countdown endings week

(1) Which 911 Lone Star season finale is your favorite?

Season 3. I love TK proposing because he can't sleep and Carlos needing to squish his face and say a thousand times yes. Their friends are so happy for them and they're dancing around the loft. I love Owen addressing a bunch of his shit. And he shows character growth from that moment onward because the next time he has a health issue he tells TK right away. I love everyone arguing with TK about why he needs a will and his dad finally gets through to him. And the Judd/Grace "911 called him!?" moment is one of my favorites in the whole show.

(2) What was your favorite moment from the season 4 finale?

Wedding!!! Specifically their vows (and the deleted cake cutting scene but that technically wasn't in the finale)

(3) Are there any storylines that you would like to see brought back for a more satisfying conclusion?

Besides Gabriel faking his death

I'd like to see Iris and/or Carlos's sisters again. We were told a lot of things about them especially how Carlos's sisters were talking about when they were little at Gabriel's funeral. And we were told Iris is Carlos's best friend and knows him well. But we were not really shown these things, you know?

I would also like Nancy's backstory. Literally all we know about her is that she saves her money really well and loves saving lives so much that she ignored a DNR.

(4) Pick one character and tell us where you hope to see them at the end of season 5.

I literally just want them to be all happy and together as the found family we love so much.

(5) What is one thing you really want to see before the show ends?

Ok if I can only pick one... I hope Carlos gets some closure about his dad. Then I also want him to have an existential crisis about finally having that closure. And I am possibly already preparing to write it if I don't get it.

Open tag! And other tags under here ↓

I was tagged by @tellmegoodbye and @sugdenlovesdingle earlier this week. Thank you 💜

No pressure tags for @lemonlyman-dotcom @carlos-in-glasses @bonheur-cafe @nancys-braids @captain-gillian @herefortarlos @carlos-tk @ladytessa74 @fifthrideroftheapocalypse @thisbuildinghasfeelings @ironheartwriter

[happilylovingchaos]

Music and Fic Monday for @lonestar-s5countdown

Sorry I’m late-ish! I’ll give a combination of recommendations for music and fanfics today (which is almost over where I am). And wow, there’s a lot involving TK (I’m getting concerned about how much he and Carlos get whumped, I don’t really care if it’s just me 😰).

([Re-])Surfacing Dive for Beginnings and Ends:

Beyond a lot of the stories written by @carlos-in-glasses, @paperstorm and @lemonlyman-dotcom that I think are also beautiful character studies of the Lone Star characters may not get explored enough (and in some cases even exploring parts of the characters that get most focus in-show), I wanted to give a few shout-outs to other, older one-shots/ full-length stories.

Lonely eyes, you don’t have to be alone tonight by @wwasted: A coda that takes place in between the bar scene and the end of 1x03. It’s very cute w/o dragging out too much of either man’s angst, which I liked.

The elephant in the juice bar by @taralaurel: Where Tarlos begins for real after 1x10, and TK tries and fails to keep a metaphor steady as he decides to take a chance.

Getting better by @lonestarbabe, Pigeonsplotinsecrecy: This fic really plays with the meaning of the words “begin” and “end”, especially with a mental health recovery arc and especially with TK. It’s not for everyone, but it describes how relatable, tedious, solitary and multicolored the process can be.

Rosa mundi by fiddlersgreen: A one-shot where TK, Owen, and Carlos make it to New York without incident and properly mourn for Gwyn… and it’s quite a spiritual experience.

You were the greatest thing by hoodieweather: TK is mournful after the events of season 2 as he goes to visit Gwyn and Jonah, but re-learns something important about life. Takes place in the breakup era. Before the ice storm? Actually def before the ice storm.

First aid by @heartstringsduet: I like to call this the gritty version of “Tarlos Begins”, only both characters have more fragile coping methods of surviving life in New York City. When those methods gradually fall apart and threaten to completely implode their lives, they have to face their respective truths and learn how to live— both with the people around them, the real versions of each other, and with themselves.

Not really bridal style by paperyowl: Tarlos begins again immediately post-3x04— with some relationship negotiating required. The author really nailed Tarlos’ voices for their first fic in the 9-1-1: LS fandom!

Haunted by the ghost of you by @strandnreyes: A sad and hopeful combination of 3x04 and 3x08, where Tarlos begins again with an unexpected end.

I’m not mean enough to fully recommend hurt no comfort Tarlos fics, or hurt no comfort fics in general (and I’m still less than a year into using Tumblr anyway), so for a definitive “end” fic in that category, I may direct you to MissPudim’s works where the issues with the whole Iris arc is addressed and Tarlos handles it Extremely Badly. Or this fic called Gone where… it’s… okay, hell. They still handle it bad, it’s still kind of an end and it’s a bittersweet end, albeit in an AU. And another one by bythebry, Ain’t got no tears left to cry.

Where all this love comes from by @carlos-in-glasses: I think I’m not the first one to recommend this story but I think it counts as a general “begins” for both TK and Carlos (mainly for Carlos, though). And I’m listening to Postmodern Jukebox while trying to re-recommend it… if you’re curious, I put one of their cover songs on the bottom of this post. Needless to say, I loved this fic!

TK (Begins):

Jewish for Himself by 7ate9: I felt a sense of completion to read a fic that goes into TK’s POV about how the religion Gwyn wanted to raise him under is, in a word, complicated (as hell). Yes, just as much as his career and gay identity. For that, I’m thankful to the author! (And not just because so many opportunities for TK’s Jewish rep was wasted…)

TK begins by writedontfight: Exactly what the title says, with a plausible and saddeningly real scar of loss in TK’s life.

Numb and Thirty days by come2gusu: TK begins again, and good GOD I’M SAD ABOUT 3x08 AGAIN nooOOOOOooO….

Carlos (Begins):

Duality of a day by @marjansmarwani: I loved this exploration of how double-edged the wedding day would feel for Carlos— the beginning of a new chapter in his life with TK, and the punch-to-the-face end of Gabriel’s own life (spoiler alert).

to build a home by @freneticfloetry: This story was the first “Carlos Begins” story I’d read. I thought I wouldn’t like the canon divergence that happens at the end, but I was pleasantly surprised!

Dancing, happy, seen by @endlesstwanted: Carlos’ POV as he falls in love at first sight with TK.

Silver lining’s gold and shining by @paperstorm: “Carlos begins”, with a little help from Iris. For me, it also parallels “Chimney Begins”.

I fell for you like a child (oh but the fire went wild) by ellay_gee: Told in a 5+1 format about Carlos’ experiences with love. It was so cute!

Tender eyes that shine by @alrightbuckaroo: Much like “to build a home”, this fic exuded “Carlos begins” energy with more focus on how the Reyes’ “identity” shaped Carlos, and him focusing on unlearning the emotional repression that comes with that ideal.

Music Recs for @tellmegoodbye:

If the Lone Star music team uses this cover of AC/DC my country-music side would be tickled. Just thought that a down-South version of a rock song would be a cool bookend to the pop collab “Old Town Road.”

Postmodern Jukebox is one of my favorite cover bands, and they’ve made a lot of songs I’ve heard of really appealing for me— retro takes on pop songs! This one cover of Oasis’ songs brought to mind another procedural spinoff, NCIS: New Orleans, for the jazz funeral feel added to apparently hotly-debated interpretations of the lyrics (I only just looked on Reddit, so…). But considering what’s happening, hearing the song in the context of Lone Star breaks and warms my heart.

[shes-an-oddbird]

911 Lone Star Tag Game: Endings

(1) Which 911 Lone Star season finale is your favorite?

I’m just now realizing that season finales are pretty consistently favorite episodes for me when it comes to this show. They’re all actually really good and tend to do the best job of utilizing as many characters as possible. I think maybe the season 2 finale might just beat out the others by a little bit for me. I like how it starts with everyone getting split up, I think the dust storm is really intense which is always good for a season finale but I also really love the last scene where they are cleaning up the firehouse together. The show really is at its best when as much of the cast is together as possible.

Also, a good cliffhanger (and not the kind where you are waiting to find out if someone died).

(2) What was your favorite moment from the season 4 finale?

Definitely the wedding. Its so beautiful, the location and the ceremony and I love when an already pretty cast gets to dress up extra pretty for a little while. My favorite favorite moment is just at the reception, when you can see everyone having fun in the background (the characters and the cast who was clearly having a blast). All the little conversations wrapping up storylines from the season and setting up the ones for season five were great too.

(3) Are there any storylines that you would like to see brought back for a more satisfying conclusion?

There are so many things that they never have the chance to elaborate on. I think they implied pretty clearly in the crossover episode that Judd was in one of those troubled youth groups like the one they saved from the wildfire but its never mentioned it again. They mention that Nancy is very close to her sister and its emphasized in a way that makes you think there must be some important reason why but we still don’t know what that is. They’ve been so inconsistent with Mateo’s backstory that it would probably be difficult to sort any of it out at this point but it would be nice for them to maybe try.

This is sort of a stretch because it wasn’t really ever a story before but I always expected them to do a little more with Izzy and Evie. One of things I looked forward to, if we had gotten more seasons, would have been them becoming teenagers. I was hoping to see them bond with Nancy and TK and maybe even go to them to talk, especially if they were nervous about talking to their mom.

(4) Pick one character and tell us where you hope to see them at the end of season 5.

Just one? Knowing what we know now I think one thing I would really like to see by the end of the season is for Tommy to be happy and healthy. She and the girls have been through enough!

(5) What is one thing you really want to see before the show ends?

for the executives to change their minds and renew the show for five more seasons

I’d really like for the characters and especially some of the relationships to each get a little more development and, just as a treat, to learn something new about each of them before the show ends. Some more than others. Could be big things or little things.

I'm leaving this here and kind of vague because it would be pages long if I get started (There is no way I can choose just one)

Thank you for tagging me @lemonlyman-dotcom and @lonestar-s5countdown

[lonestar-s5countdown]

911ls season 5 countdown, Endings Week

Tommy Vega in 3x18 “A Bright and Cloudless Morning“

[benisasoftboi]

Best thing about Doctor Who, and I mean this so genuinely, is the way it goes from ‘haunting Celtic folk mystery about death and penitence’ to ‘what if your group chat banter was so dire that your phone developed sentience and tried to kill you’

[yujateaandpi]

*gestures incoherently* Stan unhappy. Fiddle unhappy. Maybe they happy… together?

[loneleeghost]

TELL ME IM WRONG, I DARE YOU

[eastgaysian]

compiling a far from comprehensive list of palestinian fundraisers i'm aware of that are far from their goal (less than 25% raised) and/or stagnating. i will try to update this post at least every couple days - please check the op for updates.

if you can donate at least USD $15 (€14, CAD $20, kr160, £12) and dm me proof, i'll offer a colored sketch commission akin to these drawings (more details here). [EDIT: not accepting new donation comms at the moment until i've worked through my backlog; check back in a week or two!]

even if you're not able to donate that much or at all, please share, and follow the links to the fundraisers - there's much more important information for each one than i'm able to quickly compile into one list.

(created aug 2, updated aug 15)

Hazem Khalil (hazempalestine) - vouched for by bilal-salah0, who has been vetted - €6,015/50k (USD $6,556/$54.6k) raised to evacuate 7 family members

Mohammed Haboub (mohammedhaboubsblog) - shared by 90-ghost - kr85,347/300k (USD $8,108/$28.5k) raised to evacuate 4 family members, along with paying for rent and medical expenses - URGENT RENT + MEDICAL COSTS

Walid Al-Qatrawi (waled-family, waledps) - shared by 90-ghost, instagram - €2,164/€50k (USD $2,362/$54.6k) raised to evacuate a family of 5 with a child on the way - GOFUNDME HAD TO BE CLOSED, DONATIONS STAGNATING SEVERELY

Bilal Abed Rabou (bilalassadabedrabou) - verified by 90-ghost - €7,169/80k (USD $7,814/$87.3k) raised to evacuate a family of 3 + living and education expenses

Israa Alazaiza (isra-elazaiza, sarah-family) - verified #236 - CAD $5,480/48k (USD $3,946/$34,593) raised to evacuate 9 familly members - DONATIONS STAGNATING

Abdelmutei Al-Habil (abdelmutei) - verified by 90-ghost - €8,985/50k (USD $9,794/$54.6k) raised to evacuate 7 family members

Heba Al-Anqar (heba-baker) - shared by 90-ghost - €3,170/60k (USD $3,455/$65,499) raised to evacuate 7 family members + provide for living expenses - DONATIONS SLOWING DOWN

Salahaldin Hor (salahaldinhor) - shared by 90-ghost - €5,032/40k (USD $5,485/$43.6k) raised to evacuate 5 family members + medical and education expenses

Mohammed Atallah (mohammed-atallah) - shared by 90-ghost, organizer's instagram - €11,542/82k (USD $12,581/$89.5k) raised for a bone grafting procedure + rebuilding family home

Fatima Alanqar (fatma93-gaza) - shared by 90-ghost - €4,730/20k (USD $5,156/$21.8k) raised to support a family of 7

Mohammed Matar (matarmoh) - verified by el-shab-hussein - €1,119/€20,000 (USD $1,220/21.8k) raised to evacuate 5 family members, including a 6 month old baby daughter

Mohammed Iwais (mohdiwais) - shared by 90-ghost - kr156,227/500k (USD $14,842/$47.4k) raised to evacuate 10+ family members

Ahmed Abu Shammalah (ahmed8311) - verified by el-shab-hussein - €12,051/100k (USD $13,136/$109k) raised to evacuate 8 family members and provide living expenses - DONATIONS STAGNATING

Wafaa Resh (wafaaresh) - shared by 90-ghost, tiktok - €26,122/100k (USD $28,473/$109k) raised to support 15+ family members

Musab Abed (musababed) - shared by 90-ghost - £3,780/8k (USD $4,838/$8.7k) raised for living and education expenses

Fadi Zakkout (burningnightgiver) - shared by 90-ghost - CAD $10,310/50k (USD $7,423/$36k) raised to evacuate children who have been separated from their parents; their daughter Wafaa needs insulin

Malak Dader (malakabed) - verified by 90-ghost - €5,646/€25k (USD $6,154/$27.2k) raised to support a family of 6 with living and medical expenses + education

Shymaa Taiser (shymaafamily) - #141 - USD $10,878/$50k raised to reunite a father with his children in Gaza and provide for medical expenses

Yousef Hussein (adham-89) - shared by 90-ghost - USD $11,001/50k raised to evacuate 6 family members - DONATIONS STAGNATING

Sujoud Al-Sarsawi (sojid222) - #155 - CAD $10,587/45k (USD $7,623/$32.4k) raised for a single mother and her 3 children - DONATIONS STAGNATING SEVERELY

Siraj Abudayeh (siraj2024) - #219 - CAD $36,515/82k (USD $26,291/$59k) raised to rebuild a family home

[cellystars]

Deeply hoping that these two would continue to be Godparent/Godkid by the end of the season, I need to see these two have a friendship! :"O

[crnl-chicken-tots]

As someone who works in the optical industry you'd think I'd draw glasses better. guess not

He's got a point though, who could not stare at Hugh Jackman's jugs?

[lonestar-s5countdown]

This week we have some Endings-themed questions for our tag game!

(1) Which 911 Lone Star season finale is your favorite?

(2) What was your favorite moment from the season 4 finale?

(3) Are there any storylines that you would like to see brought back for a more satisfying conclusion?

(4) Pick one character and tell us where you hope to see them at the end of season 5.

(5) What is one thing you really want to see before the show ends?

Answer the questions and tag some more people to play! Make sure to tag @lonestar-s5countdown so we don’t miss your answers!

Open tag, but also tagging:

@lemonlyman-dotcom @strandnreyes @she-walked-away @ladytessa74 @herefortarlos

@thisbuildinghasfeelings @paperstorm @heartstringsduet @alrightbuckaroo @happilylovingchaos

@fifthrideroftheapocalypse @literateowl @birdclowns @nancys-braids @emsprovisions

@tellmegoodbye @ironheartwriter @bonheur-cafe @tkslittlesway @theghostofashton

@goldenskykaysani @toomanycupsoftea @carlos-in-glasses @guardian-angle22 @reyesstrand

@welcometololaland @rmd-writes @lightningboltreader @tinyluminaryzombie @sugdenlovesdingle

@shes-an-oddbird @decafdino @butchreyes @corsage @the-126-family

[squinkoblinko]

Medic does unboxing (unwrapping) video for youtube

Here’s a clearer ver without filter zzzzzz

[happilylovingchaos]

Last @lonestar-s5countdown Beginnings and Endings Week Post

I have a new work schedule now! And Lone Star is ending with season 5 real soon! That’s been fun getting used to… (/s) so I’ll post my fanfic/ music recs as one post tomorrow. Let’s see how much I can post w/o this becoming a complete image-less wall of stream-of-consciousness… but it will still be inevitable to everyone in the LS fandom who follows my handle and welcomed me. And if I haven’t said it yet, or enough, or sincerely in the last almost-year, thank you. Just thank you for your niceness, all your everything you’ve expressed, letting me be part of the fan group! I really really hope the end of the show doesn’t mean the end of this community, but whatever happens, it’s been a hella exhilarating, emotional, and lively experience.

(1) Which 911 Lone Star season premier is your favorite?

It’s a draw between seasons 2 and 4– I like the season premieres of 1 and 3 as much as everyone but holy hell I was not ready for the emotional twists in them to hit me the way they did. I am still in emotional recovery in both the good and bad ways. Both 2 and 4, until their respective cliffhangers, were quite light-hearted and self-contained with hints at the storylines to come, and those were easier for me to enjoy. Plus, Tommy, Gwyn and Iris (re-debut, in Iris’ case) had some colorful debuts! (I will always wish that Owen and Gwyn’s characters had a little more time together outside of the wit/ playfulness/ vitriol, and a couple more scenes with TK without their son always needing to be middle-man. But Rob, Lisa and Ronen played off of each other so well!) Gina’s portrayal of Tommy was just magnetically charismatic even without Michelle there— ‘Nuff said. And while I had issues with Iris’ bluntness (especially since it sorta re-opened some of TK’s emotional wounds), I could relate to being on both sides of a conversation in a similar situation to her— seeming hard to read/ confusing to most everyone around her (sometimes even with trusted family/ friends), and being confused/ offended by the delivery of what we convey.

(2) Which character do you think had the best introduction or first scene in the show?

I’m gonna say… it’s a toss-up between Judd and Grace for their natural first integration into the story and the first successful show>tell moment about them (specially Judd) in the series, Marjan (social media firefighter Muslim badass, in a description), and Mateo (for his own intro as unassuming but more than capable— Julian nails the portrayal of this character archetype in LS and The Long Game). Confusingly honorable mention goes to Michelle in hindsight, though? To me, she’s okay as a character, but I do understand where some fans were put off by her personality/ Liv’s portrayal.

(3) What is your favorite moment of 1x01?

Judd officially starting his end of the friendship with Owen by strong-arming him into accepting a chocolate chip cookie— you try saying no to a big Texan guy played by Jim Parrack and a mom and daughter holding a platter of chocolate chip cookies. Really, it’s tricky and you will probably get on their respective neutral if not shit lists. And Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road” was quite a bop to end on! (Though, how did people find that wild? Just a little confused.)

(4) How did you first start watching Lone Star and how did you find out about it?

My aunt showed my mom and me the first parts of season 3– I saw… looking back on it, I’m a bit fuzzy on details but sometime in 2022 (def not consecutive days tho), I think I saw part of 3x04, then 3x07, and all of 3x08. And that last episode made me sob, I’m not ashamed to admit it now or in my grief week post. (My mom, grandma, uncle and aunt were watching it with me at dinner and were very confused about why I was crying.) Then I saw the last 3 eps, and it got me curious/hooked, so I went into season 4 kinda blind. Then I downloaded Hulu to catch up on the series proper, and the rest is rewatch history.

(5) What is one wish you have for the season 5 premiere?

Mostly that the overall narratives don’t feel too rushed or forced should there be a timeskip? I hate that Fox couldn’t get the show renewed… but on a lighter note? I’d like a solid explanation/ in-character reason for Grace’s absence that IS NOT a character death, a breakup, or anything relating to misblaming Wyatt.

Open tag to everyone as well!

[hrokkall]

"Sad Cat Poem" by Spencer Madsen

[trypo-p]

The gang's all here!